President Bush and his top aides were described as deeply reluctant to follow the core strategy advocated by the study group: to pressure Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki...   Bush's top aides say :: "The worry is that the more Maliki is seen as our puppet, because he is abiding by our timelines and deadlines, the internal political dynamics will become so fragile that the whole government would collapse,"

"Our Arab region is surrounded by dangers," King Abdullah said at the opening of a summit for leaders of the oil-rich Arab nations around the Persian Gulf. "It is like a keg of gunpowder waiting for a spark to explode."

The Secret American talks with insurgents break down.   I guess when they collectively have beaten the worlds most powerful military, who needs to negotiate...   They have already impaled Bush's head on a pike for all the world to see...   Bush just aint smart enough to know when to get out.   Nothing surprising here...